Around 1,000 people kept out of their homes until Midtown Atlanta crane deemed safe

ATLANTA — Around 1,000 people are being kept out of their homes until the crane that partially collapsed Monday in Midtown Atlanta is secure.

The issue is also impacting traffic in Midtown.

On Tuesday, residents of the affected apartment complex came back to their homes to retrieve essential items.

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City leaders say the closure will stay in place until they can ensure the area is safe.

Just across the street from orange barricades, Josh Hudson has seen business plummet at American Haircuts.

“Definitely. We’ve had a ton of cancellations. People unable to get here,” Hudson said.

W. Peachtree Street and Spring Street between 10th and 11th streets remain closed and the block is evacuated.

Atlanta Fire Rescue Chief Rod Smith said the evacuation includes about a thousand homes.

The American Red Cross has provided hotel rooms to those affected, and a shelter is open at the Central Park Recreation Center.

“We have developed a defensive posture and we have asked them to stay away from the homes,” Smith said. “Once we come up with a neutralization solution for the crane, then we will deem it safe and give them the opportunity to return home.”

But it’s unclear how long that will take.

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Smith said fire crews have worked with construction teams and engineers to secure the crane.

He said a counterweight on the crane became dislodged and one of four structures supporting the crane fell.

Dana Corbett, a resident of the Tens On West apartment complex, joined her neighbors as they came back to their homes to pick up essential items.

“I have a pet and some medications that I needed to pick up. So I’m running to grab stuff,” Corbett said.

She was home when the collapse happened.

“And then maybe 30 minutes later, a firefighter came knocking on our doors telling us we had to evacuate. So I got my cat and my dog and came down and my friend was able to pick me up about an hour later,” Corbett said.

She said no one has told her how long it will take before she can return home.

City officials are urging people to take alternate routes and use MARTA if they need to come to Midtown.

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